New book promotes history

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By Kevin Dickinson

Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA

By Kevin Dickinson

Posted Jul. 29, 2013 at 10:05 AM

By Kevin Dickinson

Posted Jul. 29, 2013 at 10:05 AM

Montague

Carol Jean Cox, professor of history and geography at Sierra Community College, had a public forum at the Montague Depot Museum on July 26 to promote her new book, Communities of the Mount Shasta Region, which surveys the history and geography of the area.

Cox commented that history is the study of time, while geography is the study of location. "I'm blending both," she said.

She explained the goal for each of the eight communities featured in the book is to introduce them in terms of location, why that location was important to the community's establishment and personality, and then follow the community's history up to the contemporary.

The chapters contain a map with features, a history of the community, a discussion of its relative surroundings, interviews with local residents and pictures – some of which Cox had never seen in print during her extensive research.

Originally from southern California, Cox was first introduced to the area while teaching at Shasta College. She would bring students to the area for classes and quickly found that there were many areas of study she couldn't simply research because they weren't written yet.

When given her second sabbatical in 2009, Cox decided to write a chronicle on the area she'd been teaching her students for so many years, choosing to add 12 interviews with local people to personalize the historical and geographical focus.

To fill in the data gaps, she went out into the field, talking with residents, networking with other local authors, reading every related article of the Siskiyou Pioneer and working with the Siskiyou County Historical Society and community museums.

She found many willing contributors throughout the communities who provided photos, information and personal stories.

"It's all a learning process," said Cox.

Communities of the Mount Shasta Region is available at the Montague Depot Museum, and the Siskiyou County Museum. Profits from book sales at those locations go toward supporting the museums.